Direct response valve



May 25, 1965 B. EDWARDS 3,185,174

DIRECT RESPONSE VALVE Original Filed March 24, 1959 United States atentO 3,185,174 Dillilfi'i RESPSNSE VALWL Bryant Edwards, Gal r Park, llh,nssignor to lillinois Tool Works inc, Chicago, iii, a corporation ofEelaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 891,532, Mar. 24, 1959.This application Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 273,393 2 Claims. (Cl.137533.2i)

The present invention relates to a novel article of manufacture, andmore particularly to a novel plastic direct response valve havingradially projecting rib means and usuable for various purposes. This isa continuation of my co-pending application Serial No. 801,532, filedMarch 24, 1959, abandoned.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing a deviceincorporating features of the present invention in an initially moldedand only partially finished condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view somewhat similar to FIG. 1 but showing astep in the method of the present invention of completing the formationof the novel article;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 in FIG. 2 andshowing the article in completed form;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing another device incorporatingthe features of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view, partially broken away, showinganother modification of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view showing the article of FIG. 5 fullyassembled with an associated workpiece;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, partially broken awa*, showing an articleincorporating another modified form of the present invention in apartially completed condition;

FIG. 8 is a similar perspective view showing the article of FIG. 7 in afinally completed condition;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are respectively similar to FIGS. 7 and 8 but showanother modification of the present invention wherein the radiallyprojecting ribs means is helically formed; and

FIGS. 11 and 12 are respectively similar to FIGS. 9 and 10 except thatthey show another modification of the present invention W erein the ribmeans projects radially outwardly rather than radially inwardly.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like parts aredesignated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, anarticle incorporating one embodiment of the present invention is shownin FIGS. 13. The device Zil is in the form of a circumferentiallycontinuous ring and is molded from a suitable tough resilient plasticmaterial such as nylon.

Referring particularly to HS. 1, it is seen that article 20, in itsinitially molded condition, comprises first and second annular sections22 and 24 which are integrally joined by an intermediate section 26. Itis to be noted that all of these sections, as initially molded, havesubstantially the same internal diameter so that the mold may beextremely simple in construction. It is also to be noted that thesections 22 and 24 have a radial extent or thickness which isconsiderably greater than the radial thickness of the intermediateconnecting section 26. As a result the article 29 is provided wtih anannular groove 28 in its outer surface, which groove is at leastpartially defined by a rounded bottom surface which is also the outersurface of the intermediate connecting section 26.

In accordance with the present invention, the article 2% is first moldedin the shape shown in FIG. 1 and then (ill formed so that theintermediate connecting section 26 provides a radially inwardlyprojecting annular rib or bead as shown best in FIG. 3. In accordancewith the present invention, the article is formed from its initiallymolded condition to its completed condition by axially compressing thearticle. This may be accomplished by various suitable means and asindicated in simplified form in FIG. 2, the article may, for example, besupported on a suitable fiat member 38 whereupon the article is engagedand axially compressed by a suitable ram 32. As the ram 32 is advanceddownwardly in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2, the intermediatesection 26 which is relatively thin in a radial direction as comparedwith the other sections of the article, is axially collapsed. At thesame time, the intermediate section is radially inwardly projected andextruded from between the opposing faces 34 and 36 of the sections 22and 24 so as to provide the above mentioned radially projecting rib orbead. It is important to note that sufiicient pressure is applied to thearticle 2t) so that the intermediate section 26 is formed and projectedbeyond the elastic limit of the material so that the article will remainin the condition shown in FIG. 3. In this condition the opposingsurfaces 34 and 36 of the sections 22 and 24 are slightly spaced so thatthe article could be used as an axially collapsible resilient washer, ifdesired. Furthermore, the article 20 could be applied to a complementarygrooved shaft or other part so to function as a retaining ring or thelike, if desired.

FIG. 4 shows a valve structure 20a which incorporates the features ofthe present invention as indicated by the application of identicalreference numerals with the suffix a added to elements correspondingwith those described above. In this embodiment the section 24a isextended and is provided with axially extending bore 38 and acounterbore 44) with a valve seat 42 therebetween. A valve member havingan end portion 44 is disposed in the counterbore for engagement with thevalve seat and includes axially extending vanes or guide members 46 formaintaining the valve member in the proper position. In accordance withthis embodiment of the present invention, the valve and guide assemblyis positioned Within the counterbore while the intermediate section 26ais in its initially molded condition with its inner diametersubstantially equal to the diameter of the bore 40. Then axial pressureis applied to the structure for axially collapsing and radiallyprojecting the section Zea so that the radially inwardly projecting bead26a will serve to retain the valve and guide assembly. As shown in FIG.4, the vanes have central recess means 48 in ends thereof adjacent theead for promoting free fluid flow. It is also to be noted that the valvemember including the vanes has an axial length substantially greaterthan the diameter of the bore til whereby to maintain the end portion 44centrally within the bore and in alignment with the valve seat forpromoting proper engagement with the valve seat and for facilitatingfree fluid flow when the end portion 44 is displaced from the valveseat.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another embodiment of the present invention whichincorporates features discussed above as indicated by the suffix b addedto corresponding elements. in this embodiment the article Ztlb is in theform of a cap or retainer member adapted to be applied to a reduceddiameter end portion 50 of a shaft or part 52. The reduced diameterportion 5% of the part 52 is provided with an annular groove 54complementary to and adapted to receive the radially inwardly projectingrib or bead 26b as shown in FIG. 6. In accordance with this embodimentof the present invention, the article Zlib is assembled with the part 52in the following manner. The article is first applied to the reduceddiameter portion Ell of the part while the article is in its initiallyfolded condition shown in FIG. 5, or in other words, before the section26b is deformed and radially projected. When this initial assembly hasbeen completed, the article is axially compressed in themanner describedabove so that the intermediate section 2612 is radially inwardlyprojected directly into the annular groove before. It will beappreciated that this procedure completely eliminates any need forstretching the article or at least a preformed rib or bead portionthereof to enable it to be applied to the complementary groove so thatthe ditficulties of such an operation along with any possible injury tothe article are also eliminated.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show anarticle 2% which is similar to the article 29 asdescribed above as indicated by the application of identical referencenumerals with the sufix added to corresponding elements. In thisembodiment the article is axially extended by the provision of aplurality of additional sections 55, 58, 60 and 62 which'are essentiallyidentical to the sections 220 and 240 and also by the provision ofadditional reduced thickness connecting sections 64, 66, 6S and 70 whichare identical to the section 26c. The article 290 is axially collapsedfrom its original molded condition shown in FIG. 7 to its finishedcondition shown in FIG. 8 by applying axial pressure thereto in themanner described above. As a result of the formation of and theresiliency of the material in the radial inwardly projecting annularribs or beads 25c and 6476, the article 2th: may be resiliently axiallyexpanded and collapsed so that it may be used as a bellows. Furthermore,the article 2490 may be made in any desired axial length by duplicatingthe various sections described above so that it could, if desired, beused as a flexible conduit.

FIGS. 9 and 10 shows a device d which is similar to the article 200 asindicated by the application of identical reference numerals with thesufiix :1 added to corresponding elements. This embodiment difiers onlyin that the connecting sections or radially inwardly projecting beads orribs are elically formed and connected with each other so as to providea continuous helical thread. Thus, this device may be used in thesamemanner as the article 20c and in addition it may be'used as anut-like member and threadedly engage a complementary workpiece.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show an article 200 which is similar to the article 20aas indicated by the application of 1 substantially elongated in natureand having a first diameter, said body means also defining second boremeans of substantially smaller diameter concentric with'andcommunicating with said first bore means, annular valve seat means onsaid body means at a junction between said first and second bore means,a one-piece elongated valve member movable in said first bore means andincluding an end portion of a cross-sectional dimension less than saidfirst bore means and cooperable with said valve seat means forcontrolling fiow of fiuid therethrough, one of said first bore means andsaid valve member ineluding a plurality of vane means for guidingmovement of said valve member in said first bore means, said vane meansextending for the substantial length of said first bore means and havinga cross-sectional dimension for maintaining said valve membersubstantially concentric with said first bore means during movement ofthe valve member for permitting fluid flow through said bore means pastsaid valve member when the valve member is spaced from the valve seatmeans, said body means including a first annular section having acertain radial thickness around said first bore means and axially spacedfrom said seat means, said body means including a second annular sectionhaving a certain radial thickness around said first bore means betweensaid first section and said seat means, and said body means including athird annular section between and integrally joining said first andsecond annular sections, said third section projecting radially inwardlyof adjacent inner surfaces of said first and second sections andproviding an annular bead having an internal diameter less than saidfirst diameter, said bead being engageable with said valve member forretaining the valve member within said first bore means.

2. A valve structure comprising one piece molded plastic body meansincluding first substantially elongated bore means having a firstdiameter and second bore means of substantially smaller diameterconcentric with and com municating with said first bore means, annularvalve seat means on said body means at the junction between said firstand second bore means, and an elongated valve member movable in saidfirst bore means and having an end portion of a cross-sectionaldimension less than said first bore means and cooperable with said valveseat means for. controlling the flow of fiuid therethrough, one of saidfirst bore means and said valve member including a plurality ofsubstantially elongated vane means for guiding movement of the valvemember in the first said bore means, said vane means having across-sectional dimension for maintaining said valve membersubstantially concentric with said first bore means during movement ofthe valve member for permitting the fiuid flow through first said boremeans and past said valve member when the valve member is spaced fromsaid valve seat mean, said body means including a first annular sectionhaving a certain radial thickness around said first bore means andaxially spaced from said seat means, said body means including a secondannular section having a certain radial thickness around said first boremeans between said first section and said seat means, and said bodymeans including a third annular section between and integrally joiningsaid first and second annular sections, said third section projectingradially inwardly of adjacent inner surfaces of said first and secondsections and providiry an annular bead having an internal diameter lessthan said first diameter, said bead being engageable with said valvemember for retaining the valve member within said first bore means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 142,458 9/73Gould 137-53331 1,147,343 7/15 Smolensky 137-533 XR 1,493,410 5/24Wolcott -a 137533 2,309,839 2/43 Gardner 251368 XR 2,833,512 5/58Sanborn 251368 XR 2,855,127 10/58 Lerner 137-53311 XR 2,961,214 11/60Freed 251-368 XR 3,055,100 9/62 Kimpel.

3,069,962 12/62 Rapata 8.8

ISADOR V/EIL, Primary Examiner.

2. A VALVE STRUCTURE COMPRISING ONE PIECE MOLDED PLASTIC BODY MEANSINCLUDING FIRST SUBSTANTIALLY ELONGATED BORE MEANS HAVING A FIRSTDIAMETER AND SECOND BORE MEANS OF SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER DIAMETERCONCENTRIC WITH AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FIRST BORE MEANS, ANNULARVALVE SEAT MEANS ON SAID BODY MEANS AT THE JUNCTION BETWEEN SAID FIRSTAND SECOND BORE MEANS, AND AN ELONGATED VALVE MEMBER MOVABLE IN SAIDFIRST BORE MEANS AND HAVING AN END PORTION OF A CROSS-SECTIONALDIMENSION LESS THAN SAID FIRST BORE MEANS AND COOPERABLE WITH SAID VALVESEAT MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF FLUID THERETHROUGH, ONE OF SAIDFIRST BORE MEANS AND SAID VALVE MEMBER INCLUDING A PLURALITY OFSUBSTANTIALLY ELONGATED VANE MEANS FOR GUIDING MOVEMENT OF THE VALVEMEMBER IN THE FIRST SAID BORE MEANS, SAID VANE MEANS HAVING ACROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSION FOR MAINTAINING SAID VALVE MEMBERSUBSTANTIALLY CONCENTRIC WITH SAID FIRST BORE MEANS DURING MOVEMENT OFTHE VALVE MEMBER FOR PERMITTING THE FLUID FLOW